The Perks of Being a Coworker in a Coworking Space

February 29, 2016

Gabbie Mehan

In an increasingly digital world, many professionals have seen a shift in physical workspace expectations; work that had previously been done in a traditional office cubicle can now be accomplished anywhere with a wifi connection. As PR professionals, a majority of our work is done online, which allows for flexibility and regional office locations all over the country. Here at INK, we have been expanding and added many new faces to our team in Denver, Colorado. INK West has opened shop and settled nicely into Connects Workspace, a coworking office in the heart of downtown Golden.

INK West is part of a larger trend where professionals across different industries come together and conduct their business separately under the same roof. Connects Workspace is made up of fellow PR professionals, structural engineers, insurance agents, law professionals, oceanographers, and non-profit organizations such as The Colorado Teen Project which advocates for youth aging out of foster care.

Being surrounded by people working in such a wide variety of industries offers a network of different resources, perspectives and opportunities to collaborate, both personally and professionally. Our coworking space offers a number of ways to network, learn and have a little fun. Some of my favorites are:

1. Professional Development. Even if your neighbor works in a different industry, coworkers are always willing to help each other out, whether it’s offering a crash course in Evernote or alerting you of a local conference.

2. Monthly member meetings and weekly happy hours promote camaraderie and present unique insight to your colleagues’ business needs and concerns, allowing for professional consultation or an outsider’s perspective.

3. By mid-week, workers are counting down the hours until the weekend. Wednesday’s yoga classes help de-stress and give us something to look forward to on Monday mornings.

While there are countless benefits to being a member of a coworking environment, there are challenges as well. Most people want to know about the “concentration factor”. For those who prefer the open-air desk to renting a private office, staying on task in a busy environment can be challenging if your neighbors like to socialize or spend a lot of time on the phone. Our remedy? Headphones and a good playlist help us focus.

For us, work is no longer defined by a specific place. At the heart of the coworking movement is community, which aligns perfectly with our mission statement: Good work with good people makes for a good life. INK West considers itself lucky to have a welcoming community of good people to share our work with, both at the INK HQ in Austin and in the Connects Workspace.